I can't drive yet, but i really want a Fiero. I first fell in love with the car after watching Initial D and seeing the pop up headlights. I at first wanted a drift car like a 240sx or an MR2, but then i found a video while doing YouTube research on the MR2, "Motorweek: MR2 vs. Fiero". This sparked an interest in an American car that could stand up to the Japanese sports cars, and since it was GM (my grandpa won't let me get anything else, because he worked for GM) it would be acceptable by my family and satisfy my need for pop up headlights. Pretty soon i was finding out all i could on the Fiero (we even drove by The Feiro Factory, because i live 15 miles from it). Now i am planning on getting a car soon (1 1/2 years), and i need to convince my parents to let me get the car that i have models, books, and signs of. BTW, my dream Fiero is (any color besides Burgundy) '88 GT with wolf body stickers and ground fx.
Just have a sec to reply: Parents are often highly concerned with safety. Do a search and you will find info from national highway safety showing that the Fiero was as safe as any non-airbag vehicle ever produced (maybe the safest rating?). Start with that, then add the affordability of replacement/repair costs and you are good to go.
It has a five star crash test safety rating, the highest possible from the NHTSA. It has no back seat, so you can't drive lots of friends around and get into too much trouble with. It's sporty looking, but they aren't terribly fast. They are old enough to have antique plates in pretty much every state in the union. The age of the cars also generally means no property taxes on them, if your locality has property taxes on vehicles. Insurance is relatively cheap, because they are valued very low. Insurance is going to suck until you turn 25, regardless of what you drive, though.
And you can come buy 85 GT cheap, and restore it over the next year and a half before you get your license, giving you plenty of practice and experience on how to properly maintain a Fiero.
So far what i have on why I should get one my 10 reasons why a Fiero is a great starting car.
1. Inexpensive with decent lower mileage ones costing as cheap as $3000 and project cars as low as $800. 2. Speed, the lack of. With a top speed of 103 (2M4) and a 0-60 of 10.9 sec. the Pontiac Fiero has plenty of speed for a starting driver, but absolutely none more than necessary for highway driving. Even the GT only does 125 mph, with a 0-60 in 8.0 sec. This is still slower than the Buick Enclave (2011 CXL) which has a 0-60 of 7.3 sec. 3. Safety! The only non airbag vehicle to be given a five star head on collision rating, Fiero's have difficulty crashing because of their low horsepower and heavy rear end. Even if they do crash they have a strong steel frame. The Fiero is also falsely called "unsafe" because it is a small, fiberglass car, this is 100% untrue (they have been mangled by everything from bridges, to semis, to trains and the drivers have survived). 4. Insurance. Fieros have sporty looks, but they are considered to be coupes. This drives insurance costs down, and allows me to be "Happy, Happy, Happy" 5. Fuel consumption. The 1986 Pontiac Fiero with a 5-speed manual transmission gets 20 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, for a combined 24 mpg, this means that you will spend under $700 a year to keep gas in the tank. 6. Customization!!! There are wide variety of options on the Fiero. These options range from t-tops to luggage racks. A stock Fiero is the perfect opportunity to make it one of a kind. My modifications would consist of a CD player, neon ground fx, wolf decal skins on the sides, and maybe even a nice blue paint job. 7. It's GM! What else is there to say 8. Pop-Up Headlamps!!! They are awesome and can be use to give the car a more streamlined look, increasing fuel economy. 9. My insane knowledge of them! 10. The fact that i have everything from hoodies to models of the Fiero, it's almost natural that i get one.
What I would want in my first Fiero 1. Low mileage 2. Well taken care of interior 3. Silver, blue, or yellow exterior (red makes insurance cost more and it is what almost all Fieros were colored) 4. Parents who would let me learn to drive it and let me display it in the circle out front.
[This message has been edited by 8bit88 (edited 01-06-2014).]
Dang, your enthusiam and excitement is awesome. sounds to me like you know both the upside and downside of owning one. Good luck on your search, there are lots of them still around. Take your time looking for the right one and enjoy.
------------------ 1986 Fiero GT Fastback 3.4Lpr with 4T60 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee with "big boy" 5.9 motor 1983 Honda Goldwing 1100 Interstate
The only car rated safer than a Fiero when the Fiero was in production was a Volvo 740 Station Wagon. You'll hear concerns about maintenance, but it's the same drivetrain used in every front wheel drive GM car of the era. Maintenance is no worse than any other car of comparable age. Living 15 miles from the Fiero Factory, you have access to some of the best knowledgeable and experienced Fiero repair and maintenance in the nation.
The only valid concern they may have is that Fieros are old and they may want you to have a newer car to lessen the chance of a breakdown. Any 25-30 year old car will be like that, though. Get one with reasonably low miles and go through it and it'll be as reliable as any daily driver. You can also have the Fiero Factory give any car you're looking at a once over. They'll know what to look for and how difficult any problems you might find would be to fix.
Don't go for the cheapest thinking you'll just fix it. Get one that's a solid driver and maintain it. That's much easier than getting one that's been neglected or abused and fixing it, especially starting out.
Add to your list that a Fiero will not effectively drift or burn donuts. There's too much weight on the rear.
Only one passenger. In some states that's all that's allowed for a beginning driver.
As for the fiberglass body, well that's just the clothing so to speak. Just the shirt and pants that cover a well-toned and strong body underneath. The outer skin contributes no strength to the vehicle. Remove the panels and you still have a vehicle legally capable of driving anywhere in the country.
There are a number of Fiero owners in the Huntsville/Redstone Arsenal area that frequent this forum. ron768 and Malkier come to mind.
There is no need to re-invent the wheel. Check out: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/085309.html this thread was started by the father of a 12 year old girl. She is now about 15 and has done some remarkable things fixing and learning about cars in general and Fieros specifically. She approached her parents with the same porblem. If you haven't read about Tyler Shipman then you need to. Check out Tylers story either on this forum or Google "Tyler Shipman" and watch the videos broadcast by KARE11 TV out of Minneapolis. Those stories will give both you and your parents a sense of what kind of people are involved with Fieros. Good luck and remember your education comes first, above even Fieros.
------------------ 1988 GT Medium Red Metallic Manual, Gray Leather K Beck LEDs & StuWipes
[This message has been edited by Vernon8360 (edited 01-02-2014).]
You can also add to your list that it'll teach you how to work on cars real fast. Because, let's face it, the newest Fiero is now 26 years old. Unless the Fiero you buy is in pristine condition, it's going to need frequent maintenance, simply because everything in it is so old.
I'm not trying to dissuade you from buying a Fiero as your first car. If you're into Fieros, and don't mind the upkeep, then go for it. But if you're thinking your Fiero will be as reliable as a new Honda, you're in for a rude awakening. Love it for what it is, and keep a preventative maintenance schedule.
I would never want to own a dream car as my only car, I would recommend holding off owning a fiero to the future and getting yourself something else, preferably something that is not considered a sports car or "cool" but rather functional, safe and reliable until you gain more experience.
------------------ 86 Fiero GT 4spd - L67 swap: VS cam, GenV 98 GTP - Some mods
My advise will be more practical !! Fiero are cheap you can buy a duke 4 cylinder for $500 to $1500 ,more for a excellent one ,mechanical maintenence,you need to buy the best car you can afford watch for a good one ,be prepared to drive some distance,, you will probably get a better car from a member of this forum,he was familiare with fiero repair procedure & is more likely to inform you about the cars condition a car that looks good & runs good ,looks like it was maintained is your best bet,,ask the selling owner for the repair manual if he is not a fieroaholic.if no jack in trunk or front compartment,ask him if he has it!! the seller is most motivated before the money exchange the shined up Fiero is a great date car ,interesting unique ! the pop up head lites on an older car will need repair use the search feature on this forum to familiarize your self with the repairs which fortunately are simple.. as A great grand father & man who has helped many new Fiero owners I recomend an automatic,for reliability reasons read the tech section just things about the stock fiero to familiarize yor self with the repair do not read the engine swaps & more serious stuff,,make no modificarions NONE just clean the car up & save money foe any needed repairs ,,reading this forum will instill the need to modify NO, NO any money spent on the car is to keep it running,,keep you driving the 88 duke 4 cylinder,5 speed is the best Fiero ever made 26 to 28 MPG around town 35 to 38 on the hyway with peppy performance excellent handling & good brakes pay more for an 88 they are worth it If you buy a manual 4 or 5 speed it must shift properly,if you can find an 88 at a good price with shift problem related to the clutch BUY IT & REPAIR or replace slave cylinder. If you have no tools buy one of the all inclusive tool sets ,& add to it when you can if you have to have a 4 or 5 speed familarize your self with replacing the clutch slave cylinder piston all fiero came with the single seal piston which is inadequate,install a dual seal piston from rodney dickman if you need parts THE FIERO STORE/RODNEY DICKMAN / & ROCK AUTO HAVE GOOD REPUTATIONS tHE FIERO IS A UNIQUE REAR ENGINE CAR WITH GREAT POTENTIAL IF YOU BUY A CAR WITH A GOOD ENGINE & TRANSMISSION the stuff you will need to repair are afforrdable if like most teenagers you run the crap out of it you will be walking ! the 88 is also the most reliable Fiero if your older car smokes a little add abottle of STP when the oil is low,this thickens the oil,,helps rings ,crank bearings to live longer & keep you smiling as you Fiero down the road Look for a great running fiero dont worry about seat s Or cosmetic ,you'll become a detail man
if you want a manual shift transmission read all you can about slave cylinder repair so you do it ONE time GOD,GUNS,GUTS & FIERO MADE AMERICA GREAT
So far what i have on why I should get one J.D.'s 10 reasons why a Fiero is a great starting car.
1. Inexpensive with decent lower mileage ones costing as cheap as $3000 and project cars as low as $800. 2. Speed, the lack of. With a top speed of 103 (2M4) and a 0-60 of 10.9 sec. the Pontiac Fiero has plenty of speed for a starting driver, but absolutely none more than necessary for highway driving. Even the GT only does 125 mph, with a 0-60 in 8.0 sec. This is still slower than the Buick Enclave (2011 CXL) which has a 0-60 of 7.3 sec. 3. Safety! The only non airbag vehicle to be given a five star head on collision rating, Fiero's have difficulty crashing because of their low horsepower and heavy rear end. Even if they do crash they have a strong steel frame. The Fiero is also falsely called "unsafe" because it is a small, fiberglass car, this is 100% untrue (they have been mangled by everything from bridges, to semis, to trains and the drivers have survived). 4. Insurance. Fieros have sporty looks, but they are considered to be coupes. This drives insurance costs down, and allows me to be "Happy, Happy, Happy" 5. Fuel consumption. The 1986 Pontiac Fiero with a 5-speed manual transmission gets 20 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, for a combined 24 mpg, this means that you will spend under $700 a year to keep gas in the tank. 6. Customization!!! There are wide variety of options on the Fiero. These options range from t-tops to luggage racks. A stock Fiero is the perfect opportunity to make it one of a kind. My modifications would consist of a CD player, neon ground fx, wolf decal skins on the sides, and maybe even a nice blue paint job. 7. It's GM! What else is there to say 8. Pop-Up Headlamps!!! They are awesome and can be use to give the car a more streamlined look, increasing fuel economy. 9. My insane knowledge of them! 10. The fact that i have everything from hoodies to models of the Fiero, it's almost natural that i get one.
What I would want in my first Fiero 1. Low mileage 2. Well taken care of interior 3. Silver, blue, or yellow exterior (red makes insurance cost more and it is what almost all Fieros were colored) 4. Parents who would let me learn to drive it and let me display it in the circle out front.
Just a correction, your list is very good, but your fuel cost is off. $700 for fuel in a year at those mileages? My 2012 Chevy Sonic gets 30mpg even, the way I drive, and at 8,000 miles a year and $3.85 gas prices, that's slightly over a grand in gas. So at 24 mpg, same gas price, that would only give you a little over 6,000 miles. If you're still in high school, which it sounds like, those numbers might be appropriate, but if you plan on driving a lot, budget for more fuel.
The only thing I'll add is that the newer they got, the more improvements that were made.
84. Introduction. Four cylinder (only) engine available. Both manual transmissions were 4 speeds.. 85. Six cylinder engine becomes available. GT (with Indy bodywork) introduced. Electrical system improved. Four cylinder is available with 5 speed. 86. Last year's GT becomes this years SE. Fastback GT introduced later in the year. Still later in the year, a 5 speed becomes available with the V6. Six cylinder cars get additional instrumentation, which is also easier to read. 87. Headlight system redesigned for reliability. Fuel capacity increased from ~10 gallons to ~12 gallons. 88. The entire suspension and braking system was revised, just before the car was cancelled. The only down side of owning an 88, other than the slightly higher initial cost, is the (perceived) rarity of replacement suspension parts. I have owned nothing but 88s since 97. I've never had trouble getting parts, although some are more expensive. (Brake calipers and front wheel bearings.)
Also, blue was an "87 only" color. Yellow was an "88 only" color. Anything you find with original paint is likely going to need paint, anyway, so that may not matter.
Where did you get the "red cars are more expensive to insure" thing? I think that's been proven to be an urban legend. Ask your agent. My insurance doesn't even ask.
------------------ Raydar 88 Formula IMSA Fastback. 4.9, NVG T550 Praise the Lowered!
I got a Fiero as my first car (Im 20 now, so youre probably not too far behind me), and let me tell you its a cool car. I only had it a year though before I wrecked it. Theres a certain responsibility with driving that can only be learned in an accident. Fieros dont have ABS, and that means that you cant be as care-free when driving like I was. That being said, if you do choose to get one (which I am not against!), you have to test the car in wet/dry/icy/etc conditions to see how you have to handle a situation. However, in the event of an accident, you should be safe. I was going about 35, and I didnt feel anything. Fieros have an integrated roll cage, and are very safe. Good luck convincing your parents, I've been down that road And if you cant convince them, I hope you get one down the road. Theres really nothing like it. I traded a '65 Mustang for my current one and couldnt be happier
I'm also 20 and had a Fiero as my first car. It was easier for me because I was trying to convince my parents to let me get a V8 Camaro. My dad actually was the one that suggested Fieros instead! Like someone said above, don't get a POS Fiero as your first one. I got one knowing very little about them and payed way too much for it. I found out it had bad rust on the frame and it wouldn't be worth it to get it running. But I did meet someone who knows everything about these little cars and has helped me immensely. He even helped me find a new Fiero.
I have always found cars very interesting, but had no experience working on one, or doing anything very mechanical for that matter. After I started driving mine, I started fixing things, and upgrading things, and now I'm helping other people with their cars, and have even worked in a few shops. My Fiero is also probably the biggest reasons why I decided to study Mechanical Engineering.
If you get the go ahead to pick one up, don't be in a rush to get one from the first few you look at. Be picky...more will come up for sale. Take your time and find one that has solid bones.
I got my first car 25 years ago...'77 Triumph TR7...and loved it for some of the reasons you listed about (style wise...definitely not reliability...). Have fun, but be responsible!!! (...and take the word "drift" out of your vocabulary...)
[This message has been edited by Neils88 (edited 01-02-2014).]
I am glad to see this thread. While my recent aquistion of my 1988 GT was not my first (it is my 3rd) Fiero, I have a son about your age that is already looking at my car with the gleam in his eye. I have no concerns about allowing him to drive it. My wife on the other hand is much less than on board with that.
All of the reason you will give to your parents, I will use with my wife when that time comes. As to the safety of the car, that will mostly come from your driving habits, maturity, and awareness. And from the time your are putting into your research, you seem to be ahead of that game.
Good luck with your purchase. And as said many times over, take your time, search for the right car, and then when you know it is the one, it will be the one.
[This message has been edited by markkrug (edited 01-02-2014).]
Originally posted by Raydar: Where did you get the "red cars are more expensive to insure" thing? I think that's been proven to be an urban legend. Ask your agent. My insurance doesn't even ask.
The color certainly shouldn't affect the initial policy cost. But if one gets pulled over and ticketed several times, in their bright red sports car, the result tends to be an increased policy cost, as you're proving that you are an increased risk.
Though, I don't think I was ever pulled over in any of the Fieros I've owned, including the bright red '86 GT I had, which was also insanely loud thanks to the very badly cracked front manifold; nor in my 87 GT that's medium red metallic.
Silver cars though. Oi. I think every ticket I've ever gotten, was in a silver car.
The color certainly shouldn't affect the initial policy cost. But if one gets pulled over and ticketed several times, in their bright red sports car, the result tends to be an increased policy cost, as you're proving that you are an increased risk.
Though, I don't think I was ever pulled over in any of the Fieros I've owned, including the bright red '86 GT I had, which was also insanely loud thanks to the very badly cracked front manifold; nor in my 87 GT that's medium red metallic.
Silver cars though. Oi. I think every ticket I've ever gotten, was in a silver car.
I never got pulled over in my red Formula (3.4, headers, Ocelot and no cat), in the entire time I owned it. At least 12 years. And not for lack of trying. My red Silverado, OTOH, helped me get a speeding ticket when I wasn't even in any particular hurry. But it's huge and red. (Black and bright red are my two least favorite colors.)
So far their deal is when I'm 18 they will pay y for half of whatever car i can afford (with money that i earn). Any suggestions on how I could get one sooner? Also, I'm having trouble finding Fieros for sale locally, TFF wants way too much money, all of the ones on Craigslist are crap, and all of the other Internet sites either don't have any or have none locally.
The less of a hurry you are in, the better deal you will find. TFF occasionally has some nice cars, but remember, they are a business. You will be paying full retail. They know what they've got and set their prices accordingly. There are no bargains to be had, there.
It would help if you had a price point in mind. If you're scrimping and saving to buy a $1000 Fiero (or any car for that matter) just remember that you're probably going to need another $1000 to make it roadworthy. A few weeks ago, I stumbled across a low mile (40K) Fiero for ~$3K. There's no way I would even consider buying that car if I didn't have an additional $500 (at a minimum) to throw at it. Just for little stuff that's likely to come up, with a rarely driven car.
Edit - I just reread your original post. You are going to probably pay at least $2000 for a running 88 GT, unless you stumble across "the killer deal". There was a white one not to far from me that looked nice in the pics. Had 103K on it, and the A/C didn't work. The asking price was (IIRC) $4K. One of our guys in Texas has a really sweet 88 GT for sale for $4500, which looks like a steal for what it is.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 01-02-2014).]
My first Fiero by no means has to be an 88 GT, partly because it is considered a sports car by insurance where something like an 85 GT (being a notchback) is a coupe (also depends on the insurance company). My parents don't think for my first car we shouldn't have to do a family vacation to get it (younger brothers make things difficult). That being said, I've looked at the market for some time (about 6 monthes now and nothing called out to me, besides an '85 GT in Humboldt TN (I have family near there with 70k for $3k, the only problem being a lopsided headlight, with only 70k, making it not terribly tragic if a teenage accident happened, but not unreliable.
*5 star crash rating of their time * Many members on here have been in pretty bad accidents in them and walked away from them * Cheap on insurance * Cheap on gas, even better with a 4 banger, * 2 seats so you can only have 1 friend peer pressuring You at a time, * 2 seats = 1 less place to get a girl knocked up (even though I have had my fair share of romps in a fiero * They are quick enough to get you out of a dangerous situation But not Over powered to the point where a young driver like yourself will kill himself in * They are an education for fixing cars, all I know I learned from a fiero * what other car out their can you customize as highly as a fiero, you throw a body kit on a civic its a civic with a body kit, You do a kit on a fiero you always get WTF is that?
Just say the 2 seats and girlfriend part, that was how I convinced my dad lol.. Welcome to the forum and good luck.
now, you do what you want to do customization wise BUT....I would save the money and do up something like these, (flaunt some of my own cars here )
$5000 plus shipping will get you one of these kits which is not terribly hard to install But not easy,
$5000 will also get you one of these (which again is not to hard but not easy)
Or $3XXX will get you this kit which is more or less Bolt on. What I would do if I were you (depending on your school) I would save up your money and if your school has a technical area to it where it would allow you to do a car type senior project I would grab this kit and do it, It would be an easy A so long as you know how to turn wrenches (my kit is a little different from the one that's being sold now but it looks the same if not better body line wise)
That last one there.... would be the envy of your high school ------------------ Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six. (84 IMSA) garage queen (13 Veloster) daily grinder (86 basterdized mera) fake ferrari (84 fastback IMSA) confused lil one The forums Youngest CDL driver
[This message has been edited by pontiackid86 (edited 01-02-2014).]
I got my Fiero as my first car in October of last year. I had my driving permit for a couple of months and my parents decided that it'd be better if I had my own car to practice driving in. If I had crashed my mom's minivan, she couldn't get to work. So after bothering them for a couple weeks we finally picked up an 86GT with 103k miles for $2600. Girls love it
I got my Fiero as my first car in October of last year. I had my driving permit for a couple of months and my parents decided that it'd be better if I had my own car to practice driving in. If I had crashed my mom's minivan, she couldn't get to work. So after bothering them for a couple weeks we finally picked up an 86GT with 103k miles for $2600. Girls love it
Lucky, the girls I know all hate mine, Except for the red one for obvious reasons
just to give you an idea of what you can do if you save a little bit of money on these cars, I did this out of high school on a $3400 budget including the price of the car, it took a while and during the build process I drove it as well and took a big ragging from all my friends over it but once it was done I had jaws dropping from the same people who put it down in the beginning. just to show you here it is. (and that wasn't it even all finished, lowered, and the lip spoiler)
Now I'm not saying this to put you down or anything Because everyone has their taste in cars and such But I did the same thing you wanted to do to my 1st car, Neons, Flashy paint job, Body kit etc. It was awesome for the 1st year after I did it and after that it did nothing but get me laughed at and called a ricer and everything along those lines. You save your money for a year or so and put aside a couple thousand dollars and do something like what I did above, It becomes a car that 1 never gets old, 2 never goes out of style, and 3, will put just about any Female in the passenger seat of it just for a ride, Trust me Save your money and do something extraordinary with the car instead of something that "meh its a fiero with some do-dads on it. You ever need and build advice or anything Myself or anyone on here would be happy to help you, I can pretty much pin point you anywhere on body modification's IMSA or Mera,
[This message has been edited by pontiackid86 (edited 01-03-2014).]
I've tried almost every approach to this, but if i link my parents to this, and print my list i might just get one, if i find one that is, if i can generate even a 10th of the publicity of the 12 yr old girl who rebuilt a Fiero i might just get one in a few years, I'm the oldest so I'm always the guinea pig to parenting, and my parents are stiff despite the fact that i get all A's in school, and have good friends, plus a great friend who will go into business (we will make alternative fuel source vehicles) with me. Nothing seems to work, if anything my knowledge seems to hamper my efforts, i think I need to stop pointing out drift cars in supermarket parking lots (supras, rx-7s, etc. ), box my Initial D an NFS games, and sell my pokemon cards from when I was a kid (kept them all in plastic sheets so they are worth a good bit now). Another concern of mine is "swag", according to my classmates the fiero is "(another word for crappy)", "old", and "slow", and i am know a the insane gearhead who wants a crappy car. Any suggestions, links, or comments get me closer to getting one. I got a Logitech G27 for Christmas and now do alot more simulators (usually trucks with a manual h-shifter). Not trying to publicize here, but i have some vids on YouTube of me driving a semi truck where I hacked it (I'm Narwhal Tacos in the videos), you can search the channel Mr megacreeper
I've tried almost every approach to this, but if i link my parents to this, and print my list i might just get one, if i find one that is, if i can generate even a 10th of the publicity of the 12 yr old girl who rebuilt a Fiero i might just get one in a few years, I'm the oldest so I'm always the guinea pig to parenting, and my parents are stiff despite the fact that i get all A's in school, and have good friends, plus a great friend who will go into business (we will make alternative fuel source vehicles) with me. Nothing seems to work, if anything my knowledge seems to hamper my efforts, i think I need to stop pointing out drift cars in supermarket parking lots (supras, rx-7s, etc. ), box my Initial D an NFS games, and sell my pokemon cards from when I was a kid (kept them all in plastic sheets so they are worth a good bit now). Another concern of mine is "swag", according to my classmates the fiero is "(another word for crappy)", "old", and "slow", and i am know a the insane gearhead who wants a crappy car. Any suggestions, links, or comments get me closer to getting one. I got a Logitech G27 for Christmas and now do alot more simulators (usually trucks with a manual h-shifter). Not trying to publicize here, but i have some vids on YouTube of me driving a semi truck where I hacked it (I'm Narwhal Tacos in the videos), you can search the channel Mr megacreeper
Just think about this with this whole "swag" crap that's going around, sure it might get you in with the kids in school and all that but when your out on your own and have your own place that "swag" aint going to pay the bills, Show you're parents this webpage and it most likely will change their mind, ill try and find all the articles of fiero crashes and their owners surviving, hell I saw one the other day where a train took out the whole back end of a duke and the owner walked away..
the other thing is starts saving up, my 1st fiero was a $500 basket case that I had to put a couple hundred into to get driveable and it lasted me a year until my stupidity broke something on it, Do your research on engines and buy one, Work on it until you get your license and drive it, believe me, You will get a much better sense of appreciation and a drive to take care of the car more if you buy a cheap fixer upper fix it up and prove to your parents you are able and responsible enough to own such a thing,
Would it be better to get one that needs work, and risk it becoming my parents worst fear for a car, a money pit, or get one in realatively good shape, and give it careful maintenance.
First I will agree with everyone that they are really safe to be in. They are cool and they are good on gas. But the one thing that I will tell you is that you should be able to do all the work on them yourself! The Fiero is 25 years old and most of them have gremlins from electrical to other minor related issues. If you have to pay someone to work on them it will blow your budget sky high. My son convinced me to buy his first one at 15 and yes they are very safe, but we soon found out that they have issues. The only thing that saved him was the fact that I was a mechanic and could give him labor free work and at the same time teach him to work on his on car. Even then the stack of bills for parts to get everything working to be a daily driver was staggering on top of the purchase price. The car we bought was not junk and looked to be in great shape. Don't get me wrong if you can work on them yourself it is a great car to own but they require constant work to keep them in top shape. Make sure you know where to look for rust on the Fiero as I have seen many people buy something that the frame is totally gone and the car is a total loss. Good luck in finding your first Fiero
------------------ 1984 Indy Pace Car\1988 Formula Custom\1986 turbo GT Founder of Mason Dixon Fiero Owners Group NYFOC Member
I know it is safe (I survived a bad crash and roll in one) but you do have to drive within the limits of the somewhat crappy brakes (no tail gating!). I can pretty much fix anything that needs fixing (buy a Fiero, become a mechanic) As an early driver I expected the kid to crash (he did) so I was not worrying about him destroying a more expensive car as I was prepared to accept the loss if the car was not fixable (it was).
The downside to a Fiero is simply it's age and reliability. Even something that has been owned by an enthusiast (pretty much anyone on here) and had most of the bugs worked out is still probably going to be 'iffy' as far as being a reliable daily driver goes, not saying there are not good ones out there, just that it's an old car with old car issues. The trouble with cars is that as soon as you have your first one you become dependent upon it. If it breaks down you life falls apart! If you are the sort of person that is prepared to work on it all the time, you have the facilities, tools and most importantly cash, then sure go for it but if you do not any one of those things in place then I'd say wait a bit, get something newer, something you don't really care about (so that crash you WILL have does not destroy your pride and joy) and go for the Fiero later on. They make great second/hobby cars but as a primary source of transport, I think really good ones are few and far between and expensive to buy. If you go cheap, you'll just end up spending the money anyway on repairs.
'Course, I'm not a young kid drooling after my first car either with dreams of how cool I'll look in it.
Are they safe? yes. Are they cool? yes. Are they fun? yes.
Will it break down? yes (when you are trying to impress that cute girl too). Are they a pain in the butt? yes. Are they are drain on wallet? yes.
------------------ Anything I might say is probably worth what you paid for it, so treat it accordingly!
Originally posted by 8bit88: Another concern of mine is "swag", according to my classmates the fiero is "(another word for crappy)", "old", and "slow", and i am know a the insane gearhead who wants a crappy car.
This is because dumb kids are dumb. You don't attain all wisdom at 13, despite what the sudden hormonal changes in one's brain might lead one to believe. Swag is free stuff given to you at conferences. It's not a Sean John or Coogi badge on your jeans. And swagger isn't something you buy either (well, excepting the Old Spice branding of some body wash, of course). It's how you carry yourself, not how you try to imitate Jay Z.
Fieros are old. The youngest Fiero is twice as old as you are. There's no denying it. But who cares? They're also slow in stock form. But they're also pretty on par with everything else that was made in the 80s. But the speed limit between your house and your school probably doesn't exceed 45 MPH. A "fast" car is going to be utterly useless, unless you're actually going to take it to a track of some type on the weekends. And if you can't afford to fix it when stuff breaks from racing it all the time on weekends, I wouldn't advise doing that, either; no matter what car you own. Racing and maintaining a car can be very expensive, and unless you have the funds or income, and financial understanding to manage it properly, you're going to be stuck on the bus or bumming rides anyway. And as for crappy, they're probably used to seeing beat up or poorly maintained ones. And yeah, there are some crappy Fieros out there in the wild. But there are thousands more crappy Civics and other cars.
Would it be better to get one that needs work, and risk it becoming my parents worst fear for a car, a money pit, or get one in realatively good shape, and give it careful maintenance.
Better to get one that runs and drives with no significant problems. What you would normally do with any used car is have a mechanic look at it, could be a trusted friend, or a shop. another note- You mentioned swag, what your friends think. The sooner you care less about that sort of thing the more impressed your parents may be. Also if your freinds arent huge fans, or consider it slow, that may be a bonus to your argument to your parents.
